19 Rude Things Floridians Do at Airport Baggage Claim
Every airport has it: that awkward, slightly wild scene at baggage claim. Tired travelers hover around the conveyor belt, half-watching the screens and half-wishing their suitcase would just magically appear.
But patience isn’t always the first thing Floridians pack in their carry-ons; the baggage area is a stage for some seriously rude behavior.
Whether it’s blocking the belt, tossing strangers’ bags, or ignoring every sign in sight, these are the moves that make baggage claim way worse than it needs to be.
Fighting Over Luggage Carts
During holidays or busy weekends, airports like Orlando International turn into battlegrounds for luggage carts.
Some travelers will hoard two or three at once, “just in case,” while others practically snatch a cart right out of someone else’s hands.
Fighting over carts slows everything down. Meanwhile, a family fresh off an American Airlines red-eye struggles to carry five heavy suitcases because someone else decided they needed a backup cart… and a backup for the backup.
If you need a cart, grab one. One. Not two, not three.
And once you’re done wheeling your stuff to the rental car shuttle or Uber pickup, return it to a cart corral. Many airports even refund your dollar or quarter when you bring it back.
It’s good karma and good manners.
Crowding the Carousel Before Bags Even Arrive
At big airports like Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson, passengers sprint to the baggage carousel the second a monitor blinks “Bags Arriving.” It doesn’t matter that no bags are actually in sight yet.
You’ll see a wall of passengers leaning so far over the belt they could practically fall onto it.
Travelers standing even one person behind can’t see anything except the back of someone else’s hoodie. If a bag pops out, there’s a mini stampede to grab it, often accompanied by shoulder-bumping.
It’s uncomfortable, unnecessary, and makes the whole process take longer for everybody.
Good baggage claim manners mean standing a few feet back from the belt until you see your bag.
Airports like Orlando International even have polite signs that say, “Stand Clear Until Your Bag Appears.” But too many people treat those signs like they’re just wall decorations.
Grabbing Bags That Aren’t Theirs
It’s common to spot travelers grabbing the first navy-blue Samsonite suitcase they see—whether or not it’s actually theirs.
They might haul the bag halfway across the baggage claim area before realizing it’s the wrong one. Then, they have to awkwardly return and shove it back onto the moving belt.
Besides slowing everything down, yanking off random bags can damage luggage. Zippers get strained, wheels crack, and fragile items inside can break.
Before touching any bag, take two seconds to check the luggage tag. Airlines like United and JetBlue even offer free paper tags at check-in—use them.
A simple glance can save everyone a lot of headaches and prevent a whole lot of belated “Oops, not mine!” moments.
Blocking the Exit Area
Airports like Miami International and Seattle-Tacoma are famous for their crowded baggage claims—and part of the problem is people who just won’t move.
After someone grabs their bag, instead of rolling away, they’ll stand there fixing a broken handle, digging for car keys, or calling Grandma to announce, “We landed!”
Blocking the exit area traps everyone else. People trying to spot their purple hard-shell suitcase can’t get through the logjam.
The polite move is to grab your bag and head to an open space on the outskirts of luggage claim.
A bonus? It may even have some benches for you to sit on.
Pushing Past Other Travelers
Even at smaller airports like Charleston, pushing and shoving happen way too often at baggage claim. Travelers fresh off a flight seem to forget they’re not racing for the last slice of pizza—they’re just picking up their suitcase.
Rude pushing can lead to people getting bumped into, luggage being knocked off the carousel, and toes being crushed by heavy roller bags.
It’s especially rough for older passengers, parents with strollers, or anyone juggling multiple carry-ons.
Patience is key. If someone sees their bright red suitcase creeping closer, a simple “Excuse me, could I grab my bag real quick?” works wonders.
Everyone’s tired. Everyone wants to go home. A little courtesy goes a long way.
Leaving Trash Behind
Take a stroll through baggage claim at busy airports like LAX, and it’s not uncommon to find crumpled Starbucks cups, empty Doritos bags, and torn boarding passes littering the floor.
Some travelers act like dropping their garbage on the ground is totally fine because “someone will clean it up.”
Leaving trash behind not only makes the area gross, it’s also extra work for the already-busy airport staff.
Plus, who wants to wrestle their bag off the carousel while stepping over a sticky, spilled smoothie from Auntie Anne’s?
Almost every baggage claim area—whether you’re flying Southwest or JetBlue—has trash cans nearby. Use them.
Letting Kids Run Wild
Most travelers understand that kids get restless after sitting on a long flight. But letting them sprint around baggage claim like it’s a playground is a whole different issue.
Some parents barely glance up as their kids race around suitcases, climb onto the carousel, or even start tugging random bags.
It’s not just annoying—it’s dangerous.
A spinning carousel doesn’t stop for a child who trips. Heavy suitcases coming off a conveyor belt don’t have brakes. And other passengers shouldn’t have to dodge tiny humans while trying to find their second bag.
For the love of all things not rude, keep your kids close by, maybe giving them a special job like spotting the family suitcase.
Ignoring the Baggage Claim Etiquette Signs
Most airports—from Boston Logan to Phoenix Sky Harbor—have big, easy-to-read signs posted around baggage claim. “Please Stand Clear.” “Let Others Retrieve Their Bags.” “Do Not Sit on Carousel.”
Yet somehow, it seems like half the travelers treat these signs like invisible wallpaper.
When people ignore the rules, chaos follows. Crowds thicken. Bags pile up. People trip.
Those rules aren’t there to be bossy—they’re there to make everything safer and smoother.
Not Helping Elderly or Disabled Travelers
It’s all too common to see older passengers or travelers with disabilities struggling at baggage claim while everyone else pretends not to notice.
Helping doesn’t have to mean lifting a 100-pound bag for strangers. It can be as easy as pulling a suitcase off the carousel for someone or offering to wheel a bag a few feet.
Kindness costs nothing, and it’s something every traveler should carry—whether or not it fits in your overhead compartment.
Sitting on the Baggage Carousel
At airports around the country, it’s not unusual to spot travelers sitting on the baggage carousel while they wait.
Maybe they like to live on the edge. Maybe they’re just tired after a long Delta flight.
Either way, it’s against airport rules—and for good reason.
Sitting on the luggage belt is a safety hazard. Many airports have loudspeaker announcements warning, “Please do not sit on the carousel,” yet some folks act like it’s an open invitation to lounge.
Hogging the Priority Baggage Area
Some airports like Boston Logan have designated “Priority Baggage” carousels for first-class, business-class, and elite frequent flyers. These areas are supposed to be quicker and less crowded for people who paid extra or earned special status.
But all too often, regular passengers park themselves there anyway, hoping their economy bag will magically show up.
When people crowd the wrong carousel, it defeats the whole purpose. Priority passengers who just got off a long-haul Lufthansa or Virgin Atlantic flight are left squeezing around a dozen folks who aren’t even supposed to be there.
If your Allegiant Air bag is supposed to come out at Carousel 7, don’t crowd Carousel 4 just because it looks less busy.
Taking Up Space With Oversized Items
Travelers arriving with oversized items—think golf clubs, skis, surfboards, or giant musical instruments—often make things even trickier at baggage claim.
Instead of moving their gear out of the way, some just dump it right next to the main carousel and leave it blocking half the floor.
Oversized bags usually come out on a separate belt or at a special pickup area. When travelers leave surfboards from Hawaiian Airlines flights or snowboard bags from Alaska Airlines trips lying around, they create a giant obstacle course for everyone else trying to grab normal luggage.
If you have big gear, keep an eye out for special signage or ask an agent where to pick it up.
Hauling your golf clubs neatly to the side, or waiting at the correct oversized baggage area, keeps the main carousel from turning into a maze of tripping hazards.
Refusing to Help Bags Get Through
It happens more often than you’d think at busy airports like LaGuardia. A big pile of bags comes down the chute, and instead of helping stuck suitcases move along the carousel, some passengers just stand there blankly, letting everything jam up.
When a large suitcase gets stuck at the mouth of the chute, it blocks every bag behind it.
Instead of stepping up to give it a gentle nudge, some travelers pretend it’s not their problem.
It’s good baggage karma to help stuck bags move along the belt. A quick push or lift ensures everyone’s luggage—including your own—keeps moving.
Letting Luggage Pile Up Unclaimed
At airports like Portland International, you’ll sometimes notice that lots of suitcases go around and around the carousel… because their owners are nowhere to be found.
Maybe they got held up at immigration. Maybe they’re stuck in the bathroom. Either way, it clogs up the whole system.
When bags pile up, they block new ones from coming onto the belt. It also creates major confusion for everyone trying to spot their own luggage.
Being ready to grab your bag quickly—assuming that doing so is within your control—keeps the whole carousel flowing.
Yanking Bags in Dangerous Ways
At crowded airports like Newark or Chicago Midway, people sometimes spot their bag and go into full action-hero mode, grabbing and yanking it off the moving belt with way too much force.
Bags come flying off and sometimes slam into other passengers without warning.
Wildly pulling a 50-pound bag off the belt doesn’t just risk hurting others—it can also hurt yourself. One bad move and you could put out your back or twist an ankle.
Instead of grabbing your luggage like a linebacker going for a fumble, the polite move is to wait for your bag to get close, use two hands, and lift carefully.
A little patience saves everyone from accidental body slams near the carousel.
Hogging Multiple Spots for a Group
Groups traveling together, like sports teams, big families, or wedding parties, naturally have to pass through baggage claim. That’s not a problem… until they spread out across the whole carousel, leaving no room for solo travelers or smaller families.
When ten people are spaced out along the belt grabbing three bags each, there’s no easy way for anyone else to step in and snag their luggage.
A better way is for groups to pick one or two designated “bag grabbers” and let the others stand back.
That way, they aren’t clogging every available spot and making it impossible for others to even see their luggage.
Having Loud Personal Conversations
Some travelers use the time they spend waiting at baggage claim to call half their contact list.
You’ll hear full-blown work meetings, dramatic breakup phone calls, and loud retellings of their vacation—all while standing inches away from strangers trying to focus on finding their luggage.
Baggage claim is already noisy with beeping carts, carousel announcements, and crowd noise. Adding booming personal conversations just makes it even more chaotic and stressful for everyone around you.
If you need to make a call after your flight, step away from the carousel into a quieter spot.
A little volume control goes a long way toward keeping the area tolerable for everyone who’s just trying to spot their suitcase and make it to the parking garage.
Taking Up More Than Their Share of Space
Some travelers act like baggage claim is their personal living room. They spread out their backpacks, jackets, shopping bags from the Hudson News store, and coffee cups, taking up enough space for a small picnic.
When someone takes up a giant bubble of space, it makes it harder for everyone else to get close enough to grab their suitcases.
Smart travelers keep it tight: backpack on, coffee cup in hand, shopping bag tucked under the arm.
You can still have all your stuff with you—you just don’t need to sprawl out like you’re setting up camp for the night.
Yelling at Airline Staff Over Missing Bags
When luggage goes missing at big hubs like JFK or Houston Bush Intercontinental, tempers flare fast.
Some travelers unleash all their rage on the first unlucky American Airlines or British Airways employee they see near the lost baggage desk.
It’s understandable to be upset. But yelling at airline staff won’t magically make your bag appear.
Most of the time, the employees at baggage services are doing everything they can to help fix the problem. They didn’t personally leave your suitcase behind in Chicago or accidentally send it to Cancun.
Staying calm, filling out the lost luggage form with all the details, and asking about next steps is the best way to get your stuff back fast.
Plus, being polite often gets you better service—and maybe even a travel voucher or apology gift for the hassle.
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